Big Creek Falls

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There are 9 trip reports for this hike. See all trip reports for this hike.

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Big Creek Falls — Jun 22, 2011 — Cbaire

Day hike

Features: Wildflowers blooming

Issues: Blowdowns | Washouts | Water on trail | Bugs

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To get to trail head there is a 12.05 mile drive down a mixed dirt/gravel road there can be potholes....

To get to trail head there is a 12.05 mile drive down a mixed dirt/gravel road there can be potholes. Road comes to and end with a parking area. Drive is a little long but well worth it!

Trail is approx. 10 miles long, and is great for less experienced hikers. Trail is wide, bike accessible and dog friendly. Trail is in great condition there are a few small trees over the trail that can easily be passed. There are a few water crossings, that can be passed relatively easily. One is a wash out, but the falls at the end of the trail is worth the water crossing. There was more water run off this year due to a late summer and a wet spring.

At about mile 9 there is a fork in the trail. Fork is marked with a sign. The left trail goes to Otter Falls, while the right trail continues on to the Big Creek Falls. We took the trail to Otter Falls.

Overall I give this trail a satisfactory rating. The falls are beautiful and make the hike worth it. I'm excited to hike/ride this trail again...

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Big Creek Falls #1268 — Jul 23, 2008 — jjlisa2

Day hike

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Tried to hike this today, left because of a baby bear hanging around the trail head. ...

Tried to hike this today, left because of a baby bear hanging around the trail head.

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Taylor River #1002,Big Creek Falls #1268 — Jun 21, 2008 — pugethikers

Day hike

Issues: Blowdowns | Mudholes | Water on trail | Snow on trail

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Many downed trees make this otherwise easy hike a workout for legs and gluts; expect to do lots of climbing...

Many downed trees make this otherwise easy hike a workout for legs and gluts; expect to do lots of climbing and ducking.

Expect at least two significant stream crossings before Big Creek; downed branches and partially submerged rocks will serve as your bridge across the rushing water. Find a big stick to help with balance!

The trail is snowfree until around mile 4.5 - Otter Falls and Lipsy Lake area.

Though marked as a destination at the trailhead, there does not appear to be a trail to direct you to Otter Falls/Lipsey Lake. As you make your way across the snowbank after the second streamcrossing, look for the fire pit. From here, you'll have to scout your own route uphill. Unfortunately, the lack of trail is making an impact on the vegetation and landscape in this area as it gets trampled by the many hikers attempting to find the falls. The FS should consider designating one route to the falls, or better yet put in an official trail.

Despite the difficulties of downed trees, this trail made a wonderful solstice celebration hike. The falls are worth it!

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Otter Falls, Big Creek Falls #1268, Taylor River #1002 — Jun 08, 2008 — Skip

Day hike

Issues: Blowdowns | Snow on trail

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The road to the trailhead is completely free of snow, but is littered with potholes. Make sure your vehicle is...

The road to the trailhead is completely free of snow, but is littered with potholes. Make sure your vehicle is up for the long 12.5 drive on dirt/gravel and potholes (Lets hear it for Subaru’s!!!). The trail itself is easy to follow and gains very little elevation. However, as my crew quickly learned, this trail is blow down central!!! If I took all the blow-downs from all the hikes I've ever done, and spread them out on a trail, I still wouldn't have enough to equal the amount on this trail. Though there was a LOT or trees on the trail, they were definitely manageable. Most can be easily hopped over, or you can just walk around. After roughly 3.5mi, the snow was consistently a good 2’ deep. The side trail to Otter Falls is very difficult to find, and is not much of a trail. At a little past 4mi, you'll cross a large creek with a fire-ring just on the other side and a rock cairn next to it. The ""trail"" (or lack of) is about 100-150 ft past this point on the left. Took us about 5hrs to get to Big Creek Falls and back (10mi rt), with a 30min lunch break, LOTS of picture breaks, and a fairly modest pace.

It’s also worthy to note that the crowds were far and few (on a Sunday too!), and the bugs hardly existed.

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Mailbox Peak,Big Creek Falls #1268 — Apr 29, 2007 — GaliWalker

Day hike

Issues: Blowdowns | Mudholes | Water on trail

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""MOMMEE...I wanna play!!!"" ""Do your chores FIRST!!!"" Oh well, to get that gain thing out of the way, it was up Mailbox...

""MOMMEE...I wanna play!!!""

""Do your chores FIRST!!!""

Oh well, to get that gain thing out of the way, it was up Mailbox Peak first. I started at 5:30am from the trailhead in a gentle cleansing rain. After mucking my way through the mud I was up top in 2 hours. It was overcast, thought the sun seemed to be trying mighty hard to banish the clouds. Views on offer were fleeting glimpses of Mount Washington, and not much else.

Slightly less than 4 hours after starting, it was time to play and the drive up to my main destination of the day: Big Creek Falls. The day had turned sunny (the hordes of people I had seen going up Mailbox Peak must have had a good time), so things were looking up.

The hike itself was a gentle stroll up the old abandoned road-converted-to-trail. Views of craggy Garfield Mountain were impressive: all white slopes aglow. Navigating the various streams crossing the trail as well as some blow-downs, it was past Marten Creek and up to Otter Creek. Immediately after crossing the creek, I made my up the mountainside beside the creek in search of Otter Falls. After spending some futile moments tussling with some brush (Otter Falls was partially hidden behind a veil of said brush), it was back down to the main trail. However, I did mark the correct path up to the falls (20-30yrds past the creek) and decided to hit them on the way back.

The it was a short ½ mile to Big Creek Falls, which was all sound and fury. I had lunch at the concrete bridge across the creek listening to the roar, and then headed back. After keeping my promised date with Otter Falls, it was finally back to the car.

Stats:

• Mailbox Peak: 6mi, 4000ft gain, 3hrs50min

• Big Creek Falls: 10mi, 700ft (cumulative) gain, 3hrs20min

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